


Along the Red River

by KaraSue (Caradee)



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Father-Son Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Kidnapped, M/M, Underworld lore, old enemies to friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-11 23:52:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19553563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caradee/pseuds/KaraSue
Summary: Goten and Trunks find themselves in the depths of Hell! But how? And why? As the questions pile up the two must fight old enemies and make new alliances in order to survive. Their friendship will be put to the ultimate test and maybe they'll finally admit to the attraction that has been growing between them for years.Truten & onesided 17/Goten





	1. Chapter 1

**"Those who escape hell however never talk about it, and nothing much bothers them after that. " — Charles Bukowski**

**Chapter 1**

Hell was the place where the bad guys went after they died. That was a fact, a strict knowledge that Trunks knew intimately considering his father had sent a lot of people there and had even gone there himself.

There were plenty of iconic pictures showing the place with righteous flames and miserable souls of sinners but those images weren't strictly true. No, Hell had a beautiful red sky that looked like watercolors freshly painted on a canvas. There were no screams of pain, no flames, just rocks and incompetent ogres. At least that was how his father described it.

Now, staring at a blood red sky, Trunks realized his father was right. Hell didn't look anything like he'd imagined.

Absently he brushed bits of dirt off his black tank top and took in his surroundings. If there was any question about where he was a large sign in block lettering spelled it out for him. WELCOME TO HELL, complete with a stylish smiling ogre drawn alongside the words.

Indignation flared in his chest when he saw it. How did he get sent down to the underworld? Just because his father had a bad past didn't mean it was genetic. In fact, when he put a little more thought into it, he honestly had no idea how he ended in the underworld.

He couldn't remember dying. Couldn't even remember being in any kind of fight. "How did I-" glancing up he saw there wasn't even a halo over his head. Something strange was going.

Blue eyes took in the open area again. Lingering on the extravagant fountain filled with lush red water, the bones piled hazardously against a park bench as if they were a gaggle of planted flowers. The place wasn't gruesome but a strange combination of macabre objects. To his surprise, there was no sign of any ogres, not even a floating ghost.

He did spot a limp body lying near the fountain. At first glance, the bright orange gi was identical to Goku's, but there was something different about this body. The hair was cut shorter and the body was smaller. His heart leapt in his throat when he realized who it was.

Goten.

Now he knew something was wrong. Maybe he could be lumped into the same category as his father, Trunks knew his childhood was speckled with debatable actions. He lied, a lot, and wasn't the ideal big brother, maybe he deserved to serve a few weeks in hell but Goten didn't.

He rushed over to the body and carefully inspected it. Like himself there was no halo over Goten's head, no sign of any fighting whatsoever. His friend was out cold, Trunks gave the body a firm shake in an effort to wake him up. "Oi, Goten."

Goten cringed at the movement, groaning as he opened wide black eyes and blinked against the strange light of the world around them. It took a moment for him to fully wake up, his hand clutched Trunks' for reassurance as he did so. "What's going on? Did I fall asleep outside again?"

"What do you remember?" Trunks pressed, his own memory was hazy. If he really tried he remembered being outside, the wind in his air, and the sense of smiling, but that was it.

He watched as Goten blinked, confused by the question and then concerned as he tried to think of an answer. "I… I don't know. I was at home I think…"

"Well, you aren't there now."

"What?" panic flashed in his friend's black eyes before they quickly searched the area. "Aw man, my mom is going to kill me. What happened? And why…." His eyes lingered on the wooden sign, face growing pale, "Why does that sign say Hell?"

"Because that's where we are." Trunks answered solemnly, "I… think."

"What?" Worry split across Goten's youthful face, "Did I miss something? Are we dead?"

"Calm down idiot. We're not dead, see? No halos." Trunks pointed to his own head and then ruffled his friend's mass of black hair. To his relief, it seemed to calm the younger boy down, just a little bit.

"Yeah, well that doesn't answer how we got here. You think my dad is here as well?"

The idea never struck him, but it made sense. Goku was always moving between the two worlds. Trunks nodded, slowly feeling more reassured. "If he isn't we should at least be able to contact someone here right? Maybe King Kai? They must know if something has happened."

"Let's go look." Goten hopped to his feet. His worry had given way to excitement as he looked around. At seventeen years old there were still times where Goten could be as giddy as a child. Usually whenever things involved free food or adventure.

Trunks liked to think he'd outgrown that stage of his life. He was being groomed as the CEO of Capsule Corp, his once lax schedule was filled with more and more meetings. Business suits were replacing his old training gi's in his closet, and the amount of time he spent on adventures was limited.

Seeing Goten's eagerness was contagious though. It felt like ages since the last time they'd hung out together, even longer since it had been just the two of them. A sense of nostalgia warmed his chest as they argued which way to explore first.

"Maybe you should check and see if your dad is here." Trunks offered as he examined their options. There seemed to be a collection of mountains off to the west, he could see spits of fire exploding from the rocks where they stood. To the east was a forest of overgrown trees, and to the north there was a trail that seemed to lead to a small village.

Goten nodded and closed his eyes, searching out for any familiar energy. A moment later his black eyes snapped open, a gasp fell from his lips.

Trunks tensed immediately, "Goten?"

"There's nothing here…" Goten mumbled, "I can't feel anything."

"Well, we are in the land of the dead," Trunks mused. He searched out with his own senses and found Goten was right. There was no sign of life to greet him. No living bodies, no animals, even the plant life was dead. It was as if they were in a barren wasteland. A shiver of wrongness touched his nape, but he casually shook it off. "Alright, on to plan B. We find someone here who can get us to King Kai. That's all we can do, right? Once they see we're not dead someone will help us."

He tried to make himself sound confident, to take charge. It came naturally, after all the years he and Goten spent together he was always the one who lead the way for their bold ideas. Ever since they could walk Goten had followed him blindly into scheme after scheme, but this time his friend didn't look as convinced.

The thrill of adventure was gone, now replaced with a ball of dread that even Trunks could feel chaining them down. Something was wrong, something was very wrong, but worrying about it did nothing to help. They needed answers.

"We'll go north," Trunks decided, "There must be someone living in that village over there." He grabbed Goten by the shoulders and began to march down the dirt covered road.

Hell should have been filled with spirits, yet they didn't see a soul as they walked. It was as if they were the only living things in the land. Trunks tried to rattle his memories, to come up with some idea of what had happened to him, to them. Had he been with Goten? He was dressed in his gi so it was a possibility. His brain refused to cooperate though, it shied away anytime he pressed his memories.

Goten suddenly stopped, his heels digging into the dirt and refusing to move another step forward. He grabbed the hem of Trunks shirt, pulling his friend out of his thoughts. "Ouch, what is it?"

"Trunks, look." Goten nodded towards the village. They'd gotten a lot closer, now he could make out the thin rooftops decorated with little horns, a few of the buildings had signs on them, but a majority of them had holes punched through the structures. Red was smeared on the outside walls and there were bodies lying in the street. Unmoving.

Goten rushed forward before Trunks could utter a curse. "We gotta help them."

"Goten, wait! You don't know what did that."

It was too late, his friend was already at the edge of the village, crouched next to the first of many bodies. Trunks hurried after him, cursing Goten even as he came up behind the teen.

The body was that of an ogre, nearly twice the size of the Ox-King and bright blue in color. Half of his head was caved in, blood soaked the ground underneath his body, staining it as red as the sky. It was a gruesome scene, but even worse was its eyes. Opened and fully aware of the world around him. Trunks jumped back, "He's alive."

"Barely," Goten sounded remorseful, his hands were gentle as he checked the ogre for any other injuries. "Almost every bone in his body is broken."

The body convulsed violently as the ogre spat up blood. It stained his teeth and dribbled down his chin. An odd gurgling noise bubbled up from its throat and it took a moment for Trunks to realize it was trying to talk.

 _"S-Sp-Spell…. Ins and outs,_ h-h _-he needs… spell… ins and outs…"_

"Its gibberish," Trunks frowned. The ogre's eyes were staring at them, pleading for them to understand but it was useless. Goten didn't say anything.

 _"_ H-h _-he_ ne _-needs…. Blood. Ins and…"_ The strain of speaking was too much. The ogre's chest rattled with another cough, shaking his entire body and a grimace of pain etched across his face before it drifted away. His breathing stopped and the body stilled.

A moment of silence hung over them before Goten carefully eased away. His hands were bloodied from touching the creature. His voice was paper thin when he finally spoke, "What happens when you die in the afterlife?"

It was a good question, one he couldn't bear to think too much about. And one that would haunt Trunks the rest of his stay in the underworld.

* * *

Goten had always been told he'd had an easy life. When compared to his brother and father, maybe he did. The only real fight he'd ever been in had been against Maijin Buu and since then they'd had nearly ten years of peace. Ten years he spent training with his father, helping raise his niece, and laughing with his best friend.

The nightmares he'd had after Buu had stopped when he was nearly eight and were nothing but a distant memory of childhood. He couldn't even remember what they'd been about. His father had smiled sadly one of the many times when Goten had gone to him for comfort. _"Sometimes battles don't just scar us physically. It's perfectly alright that you're afraid. Use that fear to get stronger."_

He didn't though. Somewhere along the way, he forgot what that fear had felt like. Gohan had as well, between his job and raising a family his brother had stopped training altogether. The look of exasperation on Piccolo's face when he deemed the two brothers, "slackers," had been funny at the time.

Now, not so much.

"Come on Goten, stand up. We shouldn't stay here." Trunks crouched beside him, resting a warm hand of reassurance against his back. He was right of course, Trunks usually was. Goten took a moment to inhale a slow, steady breath before standing to his feet.

He glanced up at the sky, so alien and different from what he was used to. At first it had been pretty in a way, but now it merely reflected the bloody chaos around him. Among the swirling pink clouds, a figure stood out. Silhouetted in darkness and floating high above them. Goten couldn't feel his energy or make out the identity. His keen Saiyan eyes could just barely see the figure raise one hand and start to collect energy.

Without warning the hand flicked towards them, sending a glowing pink ball down where they stood. Goten cried out, grabbing Trunks' sleeve and taking off towards the ruins of the village. He heard the exact moment when the energy blast hit the ground, could feel the heat of it kiss his neck as they retreated. His didn't have much control over his movements, concentrating more on outrunning the blast then where he went. Together his and Trunks bodies slammed against the rocky ground and skidded to a stop.

They both hissed in pain as the rocks cut up their arms and face, but they were in once piece at least. Goten opened his eyes and stared at the spot where a village had once stood, now it was nothing more than a crater. The bodies blown to ash.

Horror seeped into his limbs as he stared. Trunks was the first to gather his senses, "He's above us."

Both eyes jumped up to where the figure had been floating moments ago. Now their attacker was considerably closer, hovering just a few hundred feet above them. His white reptilian skin covered every inch of his small body, and his purple lips were pulled back into an ugly sneer. "Well Well, looks like I've found you. Can't say you made it hard though, your energy was practically a beacon."

Goten couldn't believe his eyes. He'd heard stories but had never met the alien before. "Freiza?"

"So you remember me." The creature preened, showing a mouth full of sharp teeth. His cold eyes fell on Trunks and locked on with utter hatred. "Good, because I haven't forgotten what you did."

"We've never met." Trunks replied coolly, "But my father would disown me if I didn't slap that ugly smile off your face."

"I dare you to try brat," Freiza barked gathering another blast in his hand and firing.

Trunks bellowed out a warning and they both took to the sky. Goten going left and Trunks moving right. It wasn't ideal, putting so much space between them. A couple of years ago they had been able to move without speaking to one another. They'd been at their prime of anticipating each other's movements and needs. When they fought together even Vegeta broke a sweat fending them off. But that was a long time ago.

Now, Goten could only keep his eyes open and watch his friends back. He saw the moment Freiza appeared just inches above Trunks' head. He called out and the warning was enough for the older boy to duck out of the way of a nasty kick. Just barely though.

Goten charged forward, seeing the moment Freiza's guard was down and unleashing a barrage of punches. A few of them landed but they barely fazed his opponent. If anything Freiza's smile grew. "Not bad for the son of Goku. Do you want to turn into a Super Saiyan? That might give your punches some more bite."

The fact that he couldn't feel Freiza's energy was alarming. Based on how his punches were being received all he could guess was that Freiza was impossibly strong. Goten jumped back, putting distance between them before the monster could strike back.

Freiza preened at the move, mistaking it for fear instead of caution. Seeing his purple lips upturned in a sadistic smile made Goten's stomach roll with anger.

"So Freiza, you know who I am?"

"Oh I know all about you and Vegeta's brat. You both look just like your fathers." the smile faded, replaced with a disgusted sneer, "I can't stand it."

There was hatred in his voice, along with the promise of death. Goten's body immediately tensed up at hearing it, his nerves were on fire as his Saiyan instincts detected the upcoming fight. But he wasn't ready, it had been so long since he'd been in a real fight. And they didn't know what exactly they were up against, or why?

He met Trunks gaze across a distance, saw the same questions and caution etched into his friend's face. If they fought together they'd have a chance, if they fused they could win. But then he'd have to-

"Goten!"

The scream jarred him out of his thoughts. He caught the frantic look in Trunks' eyes before realizing that Freiza no longer stood between them. He moved without a second thought, dodging to the left just as a claw punched thru the air. Exactly where his heart had been.

His relief was short lived before something slammed into the base of his neck. His vision went white and his lungs couldn't suck in any more air. The shock of the blow left his body suspended in mid-air for a solid minute, but it felt like a lifetime. Never, he'd never felt such pain before.

He couldn't breathe, couldn't find the ability to suck in a gasp. Another minute and he'd black out from suffocation, but then something lashed across his cheek. A sharp quick slash like a whip and it snapped him out of his shock as he hurtled to the ground.

The world around him went black for a minute before it all came back in an awful flash of light. He was staring up at the red sky, laying in a crater as deep as a grave. The taste of blood gushed in his mouth and involuntarily he swallowed it.

Above him, something flashed like a laser show. A gold light danced dangerously close to a purple ball of energy. Trunks' screams of battle filled the air around them along with Freiza's chilling laughter.

Trunks wouldn't be able to take Freiza on his own. If Goten didn't get up his friend was as good as dead, but his muscles refused to move. The best he could manage was wiggling his fingers. At least he could feel something.

Something rustled from the edge of the crater, dirt shifted under the weight and the soft sound of shoes shuffling reached his ears. Goten lifted his head to look, praying to see his father's smile beaming down on him. _"I told you to keep up training,"_ Goku would say. Gohan would have been a little more sympathetic.

But the shadow he saw didn't match either man. It was smaller than his father, about the same height and build as Goten. Long hair dangled in the stranger's face, obscuring it from view, but one thing was for sure. The person was staring at him.

Goten blinked back, he heard the stranger laugh. "I guess I'll have to help you two."

* * *

Trunks' blood was boiling, the sound rang in his ears like a bomb had gone off. His fists were hitting their mark, striking Freiza fast and hard. He revealed in the look of surprise on the monster's face but he couldn't let it go to his head.

He might be hitting Freiza but that didn't mean he was hurting the monster.

While in the midst of his onslaught a breeze caught his hair, indicating movement behind him. A voice followed the presence, it sounded smug when it said, "You should duck."

The heat of a ki blast tickled his neck and Trunks quickly did as the stranger requested flipping backwards just as a blinding yellow light struck Freiza. The alien howled in pain as the blast zoomed off towards the deep forests to the west. It wasn't a particularly strong blast but it did its purpose. Putting distance between them and Freiza.

Trunks smiled at the sight, "Nice move Goten! Now we should get-"

The man who saved him wasn't Goten. Wasn't even really a man. Instead, it was a boy who looked about their age, young with sharp eyes. His shoulder length black hair just barely touched his shoulders and he wore a confident smirk. He looked familiar.

"You're right," the boy said, "We should get going. He'll be back soon, pissed off like the princess he is."

Without warning the boy dropped to the ground, falling into a small crater. Trunks followed, speechless as he tried to work out who the stranger was and why he'd helped. Then all thoughts ceased when he saw the boy pickup Goten's limp body.

Trunks dived to the ground next to them as the stranger adjusted Goten's weight on his back. "I'll take him," he offered reaching out to check and see what the damage to his friend was. The fact that Goten needed to be carried anywhere was alarming.

He'd thought Goten was unconscious but black eyes stared out in a gaze heavy with pain. When they found Trunks he offered a shaky smile. That was Goten, always trying to reassure him.

The boy shook his head, "Moving him around isn't the best idea right now. Quickly, I know a place where we can hide."

"Hide?" Trunks repeated, his father would have smacked him upside the head for even uttering the word. But now it had it a slight appeal. Behind him, Freiza's cry of rage arose from the trees, rattling the leaves with its promise of death.

Trunks couldn't bring himself to complain when the stranger took off, not when something so fearsome awaited behind them, and definitely not when Goten was propped on the other boy's back.

They flew a short distance but with enough speed that put Freiza well behind them. The ground was a blur as they flew over it, Trunks could barely pinpoint the any landmarks or signs of life. Only one thing stood out, a long bending red line that curved as they passed over it. Water the color of blood running across the land like veins. He wondered vaguely if it stopped in Hell's center, right where a heart should be.

Without warning the black haired boy dived towards the earth and Trunks followed. They fell into a forest made of trees with trunks as thick as houses. Moaning faces looked as if they were carved into the bark and old notches made it look as if the trees had eyes. It was unsettling.

"We should be safe here." The boy said, dropping Goten to the ground with little care.

The teen huffed at the sudden drop, hand absentmindedly rubbing his injured neck when Trunks came up to him. "Goten, are you alright?"

Black eyes blinked, their focus back but hazy around the edges. If he was still in any pain Goten refused to admit it. "Just my pride."

Trunks watched him for a minute more before turning towards their savior. Something about the other boy made him tense. He just barely managed to keep his voice calm when he spoke, there was no need to get themselves in another fight so soon. "I guess we should be thanking you…"

The boy laughed, "You guess? I saved your asses back there. You should be kissing my feet."

Trunks bit the inside of his cheek, giving Goten the chance to speak up. "Uh sure, but we don't even know your name." The younger boy flashed a carefree smile, a look passed down from his father that could melt the iciest hearts.

Miraculously it seemed to work. The black haired boy paused for a moment before smirking. "You can call me Juunana."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Juunana?" Trunks repeated before the words struck a memory. He gasped, "As in the android Juunana?"

Goten perked as well, the grin falling from his face. "Like, Juuhachi's brother?"

They stared and it was clear why he looked so familiar. He had his sister's narrow face, straight hair, and sharp eyes. The stories they'd heard about the androids had been vague but enough to know that before she'd had a change of heart, Juunana and her brother had been a real terror.

Juunana merely smiled in reply. The halo hanging over his head was misleading, his smirk was one that promised nothing good.

"Alright," Trunks frowned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Then maybe you'd be willing to help us out. Do you know how we got here? And how we get out?"

"Out?" Juunana chuckled, sending the hair on Trunks' neck stand on end. "There is no way out. If there was do you think the rest of us would be rotting down here?"

"Right, but we're not dead." Goten pointed out, waving an arm above his head. "See? No halo."

Juunana's eyes stared at Goten, amusement written across his face. Trunks quickly decided he hated the look.

"All I know," Juunana sighed, running his fingers through long black hair, "Is that if you're here you must have made some pretty serious enemies. Everyone in hell is looking for you."

"For us?" Goten frowned as he shared a look with his best friend. Trunks looked just as perplexed. "There must be a mistake. Are you sure they aren't looking for our dads?"

It was the most likely answer. He and Trunks hadn't been in a serious fight in years and he had done his best not to think about the near death experiences of his childhood.

Juunana smiled and shook his head, "Oh no. They are definitely looking for you two. Goten and Trunks, the moment Hell disconnected from your dimension I heard those names in my head and felt the only power levels on this plain. Your father's are just an added bonus for the hunt."

"Hunt?" Trunks frowned, "Is that what this is then?"

"For some," answered the android.

"But not for you?" Goten asked, he'd been watching the dark haired boy. Noticing how he had let his guard down for the entirety of their conversation. He seemed perfectly at ease perched on a gnarled piece of wood, carelessly plucking bluish green fruits from the dying branches.

Juunana tilted his head and smiled, "I'm hunting for something different."

Riddles, he seemed to talk only in riddles and half truths, but he didn't seem to be holding anything back. If they just asked the right questions he would answer them. Goten was almost willing to play into the game, but Trunks was not.

Irritation boiled under his friend's tone as he scoffed, "Then why are you still here?"

"Watching you two is the most entertainment I've had in decades." Juunana answered with a shrug, "It's too bad it'll be over soon."

"What? What do you mean by that?" Goten felt the blood drain from his face and even Trunks looked unnerved by the words. Instinctively their bodies prepared for a fight, but it never came.

Their reaction seemed to amuse Juunana who twirled a piece of fruit between his fingers. "Well you two are like sitting ducks. The only two power levels present in this entire dimension. The others are probably on their way now. If you had trouble with the Ice Princess you won't stand a chance against any of the others. Me included." He added with a pleased smile.

There was no way of telling if he was lying or not. If others were coming, their power levels were ghosts, meanwhile the two half saiyans stuck out like sore thumbs. Goten felt dread climbing in the pit of his stomach. He turned to Trunks, "What do you think we should do?"

The question seemed to flick on a switch within his friend. Immediately Trunks bowed his head in concentration, trying to figure out a way to escape. It was something he'd always admired about his friend, the way Trunks was quick to calculate situations.

But time wasn't on their side.

Something darted out of the corner of his eye, aiming straight for his head. Goten was quick to reel around and catch the piece of fruit Juunana had thrown. "Hey, what was that for?"

"That is the answer to your problems." Juunana explained, "The Aoi Fruit is food of the underworld, if you eat it it will conceal your energy."

Trunks frowned at the explanation, "I don't know..." Goten bit into the fruit before his friend could finish the thought, and Trunks sent him a startled look. "Goten!"

Black eyes blinked innocently back. . "Sorry Trunks, I was hungry. I can't remember the last time I ate." It tasted just like an apple, and his stomach gurgled happily at the food

The fruit quickly lost it's sweet flavor at the irritation that flickered across his friend's face. Juunana's laughter interrupted the brief tension. "Don't worry, it's harmless. I swear."

"You should understand why I don't trust you." Trunks said through clenched teeth his eyes were fixed on Goten, as if waiting for his friend to fold over and choke at any minute.

Goten simply swallowed the fruit and smiled. "Still alive."

"Yeah..." Trunks' eyes narrowed, "and I can't feel your ki anymore."

"Really? So it does work!" Goten perked throwing the remains of the fruit to Trunks. The half saiyan caught it easily, staring at the blue goosebumps that speckled the Aoi fruit's skin. With a shrug, Trunks took a tentative bite then another. In seconds the entire thing was gone. "Hey," Goten laughed, "That was mine."

His joy was caught short though when he suddenly felt Trunks' energy disappear. The steady presence of his friend, the thing that had been near him for most of his life was suddenly gone. Goten frowned, searching for some indicator that it was there but coming up short. "Your energy is gone."

"Good," Juunana said, "Then we'll be safe for a while longer."

Trunks nodded silently, the fruits' affect proving to be true. He turned to the android expectantly, "Now how do we get out of here?"

Juunana shrugged, "Don't you think if I knew that I would have been gone a long time ago?"

"King Kai," Goten said suddenly, "If we could contact him, he'd know what to do. There must be some way the Ogres who used to work down here could contact Heaven."

The other boys stared at him. Juunana tilted his head, interest flashing in his eyes, "Well maybe you aren't just like Goku."

"Of course he isn't." Trunks snapped,

The harsh words barely seemed to affect the android who had already moved the conversation along. "It just so happens I know that the Ogres did have a way to communicate with King Yemma. They used a phone at an Outpost not too far away from here."

Hope flared in Goten's chest a the words. "Then that's it. We have to try." He looked at Trunks, saw the apprehension on the other boy's face. Eventually, even Trunks realized they needed to try.

Calling for help was their only option. Their only chance for answers.

"Alright," Trunks said, glaring at Juunana, "Lead the way."

* * *

There was no end to world below them. Trunks took in the endless forests as they flew, their path seemed to follow north up the blood red river that cut the Underworld in half. Occasionally a small outpost could be seen along the edge of the river, but more often than not the building was destroyed. A few still had smoke billowing up from the decimated roofs.

His nerves squirmed at the sight knowing the outpost Juunana was taking them to could very well be in the same state. The phones could be destroyed and then what? What would they do?

Goten drifted close to him, their shoulders brushed as they continued to fly. When Trunks spared his friend a glance a soft reassuring smile greeted him. "How are you smiling at a time like this?" Trunks asked him, though it was good to see Goten more at ease.

Goten shrugged, his black hair falling into his eyes. "This just reminds me of old times." He answered easily, "I mean, it's been awhile since we've hung out just the two of us."

Something pinched at the back of Trunks' brain at the words. A memory begging to be remembered. It left him speechless at first but slowly he nodded. "Yeah, We've... been pretty busy lately."

"We have," Goten agreed.

In front of them Juunana came to an abrupt stop, the two demi-saiyans barely had enough time to halt. Trunks looked around them, but there was nothing that appeared like an outpost. "Why did we stop?"

"Get down," Juunana hissed quickly as he descended towards the ground below. Goten and Trunks followed him, their eyes watchful for any danger.

Just as they dipped below the treetops Trunks saw it, the blurry light of someone tearing thru the sky. When his feet touched the ground he asked, "Who was that?"

"Don't know, but if they saw us we're in trouble." Juunana frowned, staring up at the sky for any sign of the new arrival. "We're almost there but we'll have to be careful. From here on we walk."

Trunks and Goten nodded, walking wouldn't be difficult but it would take more time. They followed behind the black haired teen as Juunana lead the way once again. As they walked Trunks noticed a few of the trees broken into nothing more then splintered firewood. A clear indicator that a battle had taken place in the woods. He noticed the scorch marks on the bark then the chunks of burnt meat laying on the ground. If he had to guess he'd bet it was more slaughtered Ogres.

If Goten noticed he didn't let it show, he tried to keep up conversation as they walked. First encouraging Trunks to bring up what they remembered before they appeared in the Underworld, but when his friend didn't respond he turned to Juunana.

Trunks only paused in his analysis of the battleground when he heard Goten laugh. "Yeah, Juuhachi has a daughter named Maron. She's a little younger then me."

"She's a wife? And a kid?" Juunana shook his head, "How the mighty have fallen."

Goten continued to laugh, "She's still scary when she needs to be, and still strong."

"Well thank Kami for that." Juunana rolled his eyes but Goten didn't flinch from his sarcastic tone.

"So what do you do here Juunana? Was it really awful before... whatever happened?"

"It was." The android's voice dipped low, "The thing that really makes it hell though is being here alone."

Trunks felt a pang of jealousy watching them, especially when he noticed the sympathy twinkling in Goten's eyes. Juunana hadn't been wrong when he mentioned the similarities between Goten and Goku. They both had way more compassion in them then anyone Trunks had ever met.

His father often grumbled about Goku's idiocy and the older Trunks got the more he couldn't help but agree. The blind faith Goten had in people was astounding but dangerous, and it fell on Trunks to make sure it didn't get them both killed.

None of that changed the fact that he was jealous though. Such a petty emotion considering Goten was his best friend and soon they'd be far away from Juunana and his sharp eyes. Still, the urge to interrupt the friendly conversation crawled under his skin. Yet he held his words firmly in. Stubborn, his mother would have said and for once the word wouldn't be pointed at his father.

Juunana declared, "We're here."

In front of them lay another outpost like the ones they'd flown over. Half of the wall was caved in and laying in front of the building were two bodies. Goten's smile fell away and Trunks felt his mouth dry at the sight. "Are you sure there's a phone in there?"

"Positive." Juunana answered, "I was here when they were trying to call for backup."

Both Goten and Trunks stared at him, suspicion written on their faces. Juunana shrugged, "I didn't do this, I was just an innocent bystander."

"But you didn't help." Trunks pointed out.

Juunana met his gaze, eyes dark as death and just as cold, but he said nothing.

Goten stepped forward gaze on the sky, "I don't see anyone above us. If we're going to go we should go now."

"Alright, I'll go in and search for the phone." Trunks said, "Goten I need you to be on watch and let me know if someone's coming." he nodded towards Juunana who merely smiled.

Goten groaned, "I'm always the look-out. Why can't I help you?"

Trunks couldn't help but look at Juunana, the satisfied expression on the other teen's face set his teeth on edge. He grabbed Goten's hand and dragged his friend away from the edge of the forest, where they could get a sense of privacy. "Goten, listen to me." he whispered dipping their heads close. "I don't trust that guy to watch our backs."

"Juunana seems nice enough. He helped us remember?"

A scowl tugged at Trunks' mouth at the reminder. "Goten come on. Trust me, please. I need my best friend to watch my back right now. We don't know what we're up against."

There'd once been a time where Goten would have blindly agreed to anything Trunks asked. Their faith in each had been at its strongest then, but somewhere over the years they lost it. Trunks held his breath, hoping there was still a shred of that same trust they had. He watched as Goten pouted, then sighed, "Fine, I got it. I'll yell if I see anything."

Relief blossomed in his chest and he gave Goten a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Thanks, I owe you."

"Next time you'll be the lookout." Goten offered with a weak smile.

"Deal." Trunks straightened and turned back to the ruin outpost. Juunana stood just on the edge of the forest, his arms crossed as he watched them silently. Trunks flashed him a superior smile as he strolled forward and just as he stepped out into the opening the android smiled back.

* * *

Goten kept his eyes glued on the sky, occasionally glancing down when a loud clatter of noise came from the outpost. Trunks had been gone for only ten minutes but there was no indicator that he'd found a working phone.

His heart drummed against his rib cage like pouring rain, the sound of it hummed in Goten's ears a he watched for unwanted company. Beside him Juunana yawned nosily, looking bored. "Guess he can't find a working phone."

"If he can't find one that works Trunks will fix it." Goten replied confidently. For as long as he could remember his friend was always tinkering with machines. Trunks was smart, but fixing a inter-dimensional phone might be too difficult even for him.

"So what did he say that convinced you to play the lookout?" Juunana asked suddenly.

He didn't need the distraction of conversation, not when he was on watch, but talking didn't change what he could see. Goten kept his eyes focused as he replied, "Nothing much. We're friends, and this is what friends do."

"Friends huh," Juunana hummed, "He doesn't seem like a very good friend. He didn't even have your back when you two fought Frieza and here you are protecting him."

The words hit like ice water, shocking Goten enough that he looked at the other teen. Juunana appeared pleased by the reaction. A blush of embarrassment heated the demi-saiyan's cheeks as Goten stumbled for a reply, "That wasn't his fault. I don't expect him to protect me in every fight."

"But he should, shouldn't he? If you two are such good friends." The words came out as a silky purr, one that held a subtle innuendo that Goten wasn't going to respond to. At his silence Juunana continued, "He definitely thinks you'll do whatever he wants."

Goten blinked, "It doesn't matter. We're still friends, and if it gets us out of here I'll do anything. I don't want to fight with Trunks."

Juunana sighed, "I thought as much."

"What?" Goten asked. He hated the way the other boy was looking at him. He'd had the same pitying look pointed at him enough times in his life that he'd recognize it anywhere.

Juunana's slender shoulders bobbed in a shrug, "You're in love with him aren't you?"

* * *

Trunks flipped over the remains of a wooden table, his search growing frantic as he dug under the rubble. He pulled up loose papers and broken bits of metal but no phone. A curse fell from his lips as he tossed the remains of a chair behind him.

They needed the phone. Without it he had no idea how they were going to escape. Taking a deep breath Trunks pulled himself up and assessed the crumbling room around him. Only a few things survived the blast that destroyed the outpost, a collection of pictures on the opposite wall and a few books with singed edges. He hoped that when he found the phone it would be in the same shape.

He spared a quick glance back towards the forest where he could see Goten keeping a watchful eye on the sky. The sight reassured his nerves only slightly before he forced himself to go back to the task at hand.

He hated being separated from Goten, especially in a place where they didn't know what dangers lurked around them. But logic told him they needed to be smart to survive. Someone had to be lookout and he'd be damned if he trusted Juunana for a second.

At the thought of the android he kicked a destroyed filing cabinet, sending it flying into a wall. Underneath it revealed a bit of ground untouched from battle except for a few drops of blood and, miraculously, a plain phone.

Trunks gasped at the sight of it, shocked to see the machinery before he fell to his knees and cradled it in his hands. The phone looked about the same as any normal device from home except it was bright blue in color and had a tiny decorative horn above the ear piece. He flipped it open and pressed a large button in experimentation. A ringtone answered him.

"Thank Kami," he let out a sigh of relief and sent the prayer up to anyone who was listening.

Juunana mentioned that the ogres were using it before, which meant the redial should get him in contact with help. Feeling clever he pushed the redial button. Relief hit him as the sweet noise of the ringtone buzzed into his ear.

It barely went off once before someone answered on the other line. "Checkpoint 10! Is that you? Are you guys alright?"

"Uh... not exactly," Trunks answered slowly. The person who had answered sounded in a panic, the continuous buzz of frantic voices could be heard on the other end. "Everyone here is dead."

"What? Then who am I talking to?" The tone dipped in suspicion, "If this is one of the residents? I have to demand that you tell me what you're doing. What do you want?"

"I'm not a resident!" Trunks answered, "but I'm not one of your workers either. I'm not even dead! Look my name is Trunks Brief and-."

"A reluctant soul? How did you end up down there?" wondered the voice, "Listen, now isn't a good time. We're in a state of emergency."

"I'm not a reluctant soul!" Trunks urged, "I'm not dead. Look, I need to talk to King Kai. He knows me."

"King Kai?" the suspicion was back, "Why do you need to talk to him?"

"He knows me." Trunks could barely keep the frustration out of his voice. "I'm a friend of Son Goku."

"Hmmm, I've heard the name before. Fine, I'll patch you over to King Kai, but only because I have other things to deal with right now."

"Thank you!" Trunks heard the other grumble before a pattern of quiet beeps echoed across the line. Then it was ringing again. He held his breath, hoping his luck would continue. When he heard King Kai's nasally voice break in mid-joke he could barely contain his excitement, "King Kai!"

"Huh? Someone's calling me?" King Kai's voice filtered into Trunks' ear followed by Bubbles' animistic noises of inquiry.

"King Kai it's me Trunks."

"Vegeta's boy?" hummed the Kai of the West, "What are you doing calling me?"

"We're in trouble, Goten and Me. Somehow we've ended up in the underworld and-"

A loud exclamation interrupted him before he could get to far. "What? You're there? But how?"

"I don't know." Trunks answered, "We just woke up here but we're not dead. At least I'm pretty sure we're not. I need you to help get us out."

"Out?" King Kai repeated, "right, right of course. But that might be easier said than done. Things down there are out of control."

That was one way of putting the gore and horror they'd seen. The hesitation he heard in King Kai's voice was worrisome. "What do you mean?"

"A day ago the underworld disappeared." King Kai answered, "Do you understand Trunks? No one has been able to find it."

* * *

"What?" Goten knew he shouldn't yell, they were trying to keep a low profile after all, but the outcry just sprung from his lips. He felt the blistering heat of a blush flare across his cheeks and quickly turned away from Juunana. If the other boy saw he'd surely take the blush as confirmation. "I'm... not in love with him. I'm not in love with anyone."

Instinctively his eyes looked out at the crumpling outpost again, he could see Trunks crouched low, holding something in his hand. A phone! Goten's excitement at the sight was quickly diverted when Juunana spoke up, "Oh- so you're not pining after your childhood friend?"

Goten opened his mouth for a quick retort but a sudden pang in his chest drew him short. Pining. He had been pining after Trunks, for the past couple months actually. Wishing for the good old days when they had seen each other nearly every day, where he could say without a doubt that Trunks was his best friend, his other half.

When he thought of it like that, it sure sounded like love.

Juunana watched his face closely, they'd barely known the other boy for a few hours and already he saw one of Goten's deepest desires. He bristled angrily at that, "I'm not pining." Goten answered slowly, putting confidence in every syllable.

Juunana smiled, "Oh good. That will make this next part a lot easier."

"What's the next part?" Goten asked, eager to distract himself from the new heaviness that settled in his heart. He blinked and suddenly Juunana was intimately closer, their noses brushed and he could smell the fresh leather scent that clung to Juunana.

"We're going to leave him behind," Juunana answered easily.

Goten jerked, "What? No, I can't leave Trunks behind! He found a phone and besides, where are we going?" He had more questions, a list just ready to be babbled off when something quickly hit his gut. The air left his lungs while his arms folded over the wound trying to protect himself if another blow should come.

Dully, he noted Juunana didn't seem at all concerned about his pain, even as Goten fell on his side. He tried to concentrate on breathing, but it was difficult when his mind was screaming at him, _danger, danger!_

He'd been so concerned with the danger above he hadn't realized it was sitting right next to him. Now he was looking up again, staring danger in the face as Juunana towered over him. The black haired boy lifted his booted foot, angling it just above Goten's temple. "I don't care if you want to or not. We're leaving Goten."

The foot came down and Goten's world went black.

* * *

"What do you mean gone?" Trunks shouted, "How do you lose a place like the underworld in a day?"

"We don't know right now." King Kai snapped back, "But I'm willing to bet its disappearance has something to do with the reason you two are there."

Trunks cursed, "So how do we get out?"

"I'll contact Goku. He might be able to get to you with his instant transmission. In the meantime try not to get yourselves killed. A living soul has no place in the Underworld. There are traps set to keep souls suck there."

"Great," Trunks sighed combing his fingers through his hair. As King Kai continued to talk he glanced back over to Goten. The heavy brush of the woods obscured any sight of his friend, but the trees rustled with movement. Trunks continued to stare until he saw Juunana's body standing up from a crouch, something dark and large flung over his shoulder.

"Just give me a moment and I'll contact Goku now. Knowing him, he's probably training with your father and-"

Juunana took off towards the sky, moving faster than Trunks had ever seen him. Once in the light he could only catch a glimpse of the thing over Juunana's shoulder, the orange gi and black hair. His heart stopped.

"Goten!"

"What?" King Kai squawked at the interruption, "What about him?"

"He has Goten!" Trunks didn't think he just moved, taking to the sky while King Kai screamed into his ear. He shoved all his energy into speed as he flew after the two, but Juunana was just a speck ahead of him. The android was fast, a lot faster then Trunks had initially thought. Or maybe that had been his plan all along. Trunks cursed, flaring up to Super Saiyan in an effort boost his speed.

It didn't help.

King Kai was still on the line, calling out to him and demanding answers. "Trunks, what's going on? Answer me!"

"I can't see him anymore." Trunks huffed, reaching out with his senses to get a lock onto Goten's ki. Only to feel nothing. All at once he realized how stupid they'd been, trusting Juunana and eating the Aoi fruit. They'd played right into his hands. He felt sick. "I've lost Goten."


End file.
